IDT1
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences BA Digital Society Year 1''' '''Period 2 Academic Year 2019/2020 Course DSO1503 Course book Introduction to Digital Technologies I = Introduction = Introduction A lion roars and a dog barks. It is interesting and fascinating that a bird will fly and not roar or bark. Enthralling stories about animals are in my dreams and I will sing them all if I am not exhausted or weary. This poem was written by a poet that never saw or heard a lion, a dog or a bird. The poet never observed a bird fly nor heard a roar or a bark. We can safely assume that the poet never dreamed either, and was never exhausted or weary. This is because the poet is not human. This poem was produced using an algorithm called Racter and the poet was a computer. Recently, this poem successfully passed the Turing test, according to which if a computer could have a text-based conversation with a human with such proficiency, such that the human could not tell whether they are talking to a computer or a human, then the computer can be said to have intelligence (Turing 1950). Turing predicted that machines would eventually be able to pass the test, and estimated that by the year 2000, machines would be able to fool 30% of human judges, and that people would no longer consider the phrase "thinking machine" contradictory. The developments of digital technologies around the world transformed the meaning of the word “computer”, from a term applied to flesh and blood workers, most of whom were women (Grier 2003) to machines we assign intelligence to, which offer both opportunities and challenges to humanity. Phrases like ‘run the command line’, or ‘there is not enough memory to complete the operation’ are no longer what makes ‘Star Trek’ dialogues, but are part of everyday language in the life of many computer users. Although we all may have a vague idea of what such terms as ‘memory’, ‘code’ and ‘operating system’ mean, in order to be able to communicate with computer professionals and appreciate the recent rapid digital transformations, we need to have a more precise understanding of the language they speak and what they actually do. In this course, the key concepts related to digital technologies will be discussed, as well as the historical development of the technologies underpinning digitalization, especially computers. The purpose of the course is to provide you with sufficient knowledge to understand technical issues that arise in other courses, and enable you to follow the technical press, so that you can critically assess current trends in digital technologies. In particular, you will be well-prepared for ‘ICT Revolutions: Continuity and Change’ in Period 4. We will start with an overview of key vocabulary and developments in computer technology, move to the basics of programming, system analysis, functional flowcharts and data representation, and finally discuss digital identities and literacy (which you have started to discuss in ‘What is (a) digital society? On Period 1’. This course will also help you understand the technical aspects of literature you have to read in other courses, and master the vocabulary used by professionals. The latter is particularly relevant for your future study and career. Course objectives This course provides you with some of the building blocks for understanding processes of digitalization. While in other courses, the focus is more on the relationships between digitalization and broader social changes, here you will learn more about how computers work, where they came from, and what they can and cannot do. This will help you to understand the claims made by different stakeholders (policy makers, companies selling digital products and services, ICT professionals working in other organizations such as healthcare or museums, digital activists, industry leaders, and so on). By the end of this course, you will be able to: · Describe how computer systems work; · Identify and convert everyday problems into input a computer system can use in its work; · Illustrate how algorithms guide the way we understand and address everyday problems; · Identify key elements in linear programming; · Break down and diagram digitization processes in terms of their various components. The course in the BA DS curriculum The course team has thought a lot about the coherence of the BA Digital Society. The different courses that you follow have been designed to build upon each other so that you can try out things you have learned in one course in other courses. This course is part of the ‘skills trajectory’, aimed at providing you with important ‘digital society’ skills. In Period 1, you already started to develop these when learning about how to manage your online presence. In this course, we go behind the screen, so to speak, in order to understand how computers work. This will help you to understand better what these machines can actually do (sometimes different from what is claimed), and how they have developed over the past decades. In the follow-up to this course (in Period 4), you will learn more about networks, and how computers communicate with each other. Introduction to Digital Technologies II will be offered in Period 5 and will focus on networking, to complement the focus on computing in this course. Together, these courses provide you with a foundation for understanding the language of computer and data scientists, those people building new generations of machines, and implementing them in a wide variety of economic, social and cultural settings. Understanding this language and what computers can do is vital for learning to see the world from the perspective of professionals from technical backgrounds so that you can communicate with them. It will also be useful if you do an internship in your final year, and certainly when you come to prepare your final Bachelor Thesis about some aspect of digitalization. Course design This course will include one lecture and one tutorial each week for seven weeks (NB: no tutorial during week 1; no lecture during week 7). This is a skills course, so during the tutorial you will discuss questions and problems, and also do some more hands-on activities in order to develop your knowledge of how computers actually work. Just like in all other PBL-based teaching, the discussions will be small-scale and interactive, with your learning at the center. The lectures will introduce key concepts essential for participating in the tutorial. '' '' Readings The literature for the different assignments can be found at the end of each assignment and at the end of this course book. Sometimes additional literature is suggested, and for Assignment 6 you are asked, in addition to the reading, to recall your reading and discussion in one of the Assignments in “What is (a) Digital Society”. Student Portal and other platforms The student portal is an important platform that you will use throughout your study. This is the electronic learning environment of the university, where you can find this course book as well as all relevant course material, schedules, readings, contact information for staff members, etc. Your papers will be uploaded on SafeAssign. SafeAssign is software that checks for plagiarism. It compares texts uploaded by students with other student papers, online sources, books and journals. More information on how to upload assignments to the SafeAssign environment can be found on the student intranet, under the heading ‘Uploading assignments on the Student Portal’. Be sure to check the student portal regularly for announcements and updates. Also check your university e-mail account regularly as this is the only official source of communication with the faculty. Otherwise, you will miss schedule changes and announcements. NB: Access to the student portal is arranged via your student account. A password should have been provided at the beginning of the academic year. In case you do not have access, please contact ICTS, at servicedesk-icts@maastrichtuniversity.nl, ASAP! Course assessment Attendance The BA Digital Society is a full-time programme, and thus we expect you and your fellow students to be present during all of the activities for this course. Attendance and active participation (see next section) are highly recommended and lead to a better learning environment for everyone. Evidence consistently suggest that students who participate actively do better in exams and other forms of assessment. Attendance is not, however, a formal requirement. You are allowed to take the exam with your working group peers, but you are encouraged to attend and participate in all meetings, and attendance will be monitored by your tutor. This being said, since the assignment in this course is based on equal contribution from all working group members, free riding is not an option. Everyone needs to contribute. If you do not attend meetings, you will be invited to discuss your attendance with your mentor. If this does not lead to improved attendance and participation, you will be referred to the student advisor or the director of studies. Please consult the Education and Examination Regulations 2019/2020 for details. Even with the best of intentions, sometimes there are acceptable reasons why you cannot attend. In such cases, for example, when you are ill, please inform your tutor in advance (when possible). As mentioned above, attendance and active participation lead to better results, but they are also part of your professional development. The BA is a preparation for the labor market or further study. Your future employers will expect you to arrive at work, on time and well prepared. You cannot simply not turn up. Similarly, your approach to the BA and attendance should be professional. Just as you expect your tutor to be there for every meeting, we also expect you to attend lectures and tutorials. Participation You are expected to participate actively in all tutorials, to prepare yourself before you come to class, and to contribute to all discussions and activities, including within the working group you will be part of for the final assignment in the course. This means that you must read thoroughly both the short assignment text about the meeting in the course book, as well as the required literature. You must also carry out the different exercises specified for each task. If this is not possible for some reason, you must inform your tutor in advance. If you do not contribute at all or if you find it difficult to do so, you will be encouraged to do so by your tutors. Your tutors will encourage you to meaningfully contribute and will provide help in case you find it difficult to do so, but the responsibility is, ultimately yours. You are also expected to arrive to all lectures and other meetings on time. The lectures will introduce the topics and provide important input you can use later in your tutorial meeting or work. Talking, texting and updating your Facebook status during lectures and tutor group meetings is rude, both to the tutor and to your fellow students. Examination Completing this course successfully requires successfully completing the Midterm and Final assignments: Midterm assignment: 1. Prepare and upload to YouTube a four-minute video in which you describe the timeline of the technological developments of a computer component in the last two decades. NB: Instructions on how to prepare the video and a list of components to choose from will be available on Tuesday, 12 November at 15:30 and discussed in the lecture the same day. The video must be submitted by 18 November at 16:00, via the student portal. 2. Review three videos assigned to you, using the peer review form (which will be available on the student portal). NB: A list of videos assigned to each student will be available on the student portal on Tuesday, 19 November at 15:30 and discussed in the lecture the same day. The peer reviews must be submitted using the peer-review form by 23 '''November at 16:00, via the student portal. Final assignment: 1. Group project: prepare a system analysis and a functional flow chart to perform a task that will be assigned to the group. NB: Full instructions and finalization of working groups will be discussed/completed in the last tutorial meeting on Thursday, 10 December. 2. Individual work: when group work is completed, write an 800-1,000 words reflexive essay on the process of analyzing the system and designing the flowchart and working in a group to complete the assigned task. This essay will show your understanding of how algorithms are designed and demonstrate an application of concepts discussed in the course lectures, tutorials and reading. NB: Some useful tips on writing the reflexive paper will be discussed in the last lecture the same day, Thursday, 10 December at 16:00. The final assignment, including both the group and individual parts, in a single document, must be submitted before Thursday, 20 December at 16:00, via the student portal. ' ' The table below presents a summary of the deliverables in this course: ' ' Please use the Education and Examination Regulations 2019/2020, which is available on the student portal. It includes details about all procedures, including what happens if students commit fraud (including plagiarism). You can also find more information about the grading scale, and how the Dutch system translates into the German, UK and other grading scales and conventions on the student portal. Course team Tutors Coordination Dr. Eliyahu Sapir Assistant Professor in Social Science Research Methods Digital Innovation in Education Coordinator Department of Political Science Office: Grote Gracht 86, room 0.006 e-mail: eli.sapir at maastrichtuniversity.nl Tel: +31.43.3883448 Office hours: by appointment = Assignments = Assignment 1: DIGITAL BREAD AND BUTTER “Computers have become the most empowering tool we’ve ever created.'' '' They're tools of communication, creativity, and can be shaped by their user” Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft Corporation “The good news about computers is that they do what you tell them to do. The bad news is that they do what you tell them to do” Ted Nelson, Philosopher & Sociologist In order to fully appreciate the effects of rapid developments in computing technology since the middle of the 20th century and their significant social implications, it is imperative to understand the fundamentals of computers and how they work. These fundamentals include the main building blocks upon which development was made possible, and important concepts and ideas created to enable the exchange of data and input that were unavailable earlier. In this first assignment we will discuss the differences between computer hardware, software and networking, identify the main characteristics and basic components of computer systems, and learn the essential concepts used to efficiently employ modern technology. A first step in identifying these essentials of modern technology is to focus on the most salient product of these historical processes, namely the computer. Computers, the devices “that can be instructed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations automatically” (“Computer” n.d.), were already conceptualized in the 1930s as machines capable of computing anything that is computable by executing stored instructions, which allow the machine to be programmable (Turing, 1936). Computers have been invented and reinvented in the decades since, and have been used for various purposes. The operation of computers in modern human society is so widespread that computers are often said to be ubiquitous, and indispensable. They have become necessary for the operation of transportation systems, commerce, utilities, law enforcement, governance, and more. The modern electronic computer is considered one of the most influential inventions of the 20th century. Computers have entered almost every arena of human society. They operate in our homes, our workplaces, and our schools. They come in so many shapes and sizes that it is sometimes difficult to recognize them: while laptop and desktop computers are commonplace, computers can also be found in home electronics, automobiles, airplanes, automatic teller machines (ATMs), security systems, and many other devices and situations. Despite this versatility, all computer systems share common features and similar components. Moreover, even when considering the major advances in computer systems in recent decades, one needs to recognize that all computer systems, whether used on a desk or a coffee shop table, or as a means to control other machines and ‘things’, to control a vehicle or to generate resonance imaging, use some software, hardware and networking to perform the operations required by users. Furthermore, it is important to note that despite different industries and communities involved in the development of computers, the concepts and ideas used to describe computer systems are used consistently across time and context. Although the specific power or magnitude of the different components making the system may vary, mostly as a function of need and costs, they will all be part of any computer system, in one form or another. Reading: 1. Englander (2014), Ch. 1. 2. White & Downs (2003), Part 1, chaps. 1, 4 and 6. Recommended: Wikiversity: Hardware, Software, Computer Networks Discussion questions: 1. What are computer hardware, software and networking? 2. What are the key components making a personal computer system? List five hardware, five software and five networking components. NB: In case you mention generic features, please provide one or two specific examples (so – ‘tulip’ or ‘rose’ will be a better input than ‘flower’). 3. What is the role each these components carries in the operation of a computer system? (explain briefly) 4. What are the typical specs of each of these components in computer systems we use today? (be sure to use the right metrics!) What do these metrics indicate? '' NB: Use Table 1 below to collect the'' required information for questions 2-4. '' Do not forget to complete the'' missing entries in the pre-specified components as well. 5. How do software and hardware interact? 6. What does an ERP system do? How did the Y2K problem affect the sales of ERP systems 7. What is open-source software? How does it differ from closed-source software? Give an example of each. ' ' Table 1: Computer system components NB: A digital copy of this table is available on the student portal, under in case you want to fill it electronically. Assignment 2: "BRAVE, NEW WORLD" “I think there is a worldwide market for maybe five computers” Thomas J. Watson, IBM Corporation Chairman and CEO “The best way to predict the future is to invent it” Alan Kay, Computer Scientist Smartphones, tablets, and app stores with almost unlimited possibilities symbolize to many, the daily manifestation of a digital revolution. We use the term ‘revolution’ because of the speed and extent of changes and their tremendous effect on human engagement (we will return to this point in IDT II, in Period 4). This revolution, which has both positive and negative aspects, occurs under different circumstances, at different speeds and poses different opportunities and challenges in different social contexts. In order for us to fully appreciate the effects these developments have had on modern society, it is important to understand the processes that got us here. This assignment is dedicated to contextualizing the historical and social processes that were, and still are, the basis for complementary social, economic, political and cultural transformations. It is important to understand not only the extent of the development in technology, but also how rapid the process has been. The invention of the transistor in 1947, marked the way to further development and production of more advanced computers. In the aftermath of World War II, the US military and government were already using computer systems, and in the late 1960s Intel developed its early microprocessor, the Intel 4004. In 1965, the R&D director of Fairchild Semiconductor, Gordon Moore, was asked by Electronics Magazine to predict the development of the industry within the coming 10 years. In his response, which has become world famous and is often cited, he observed that the number of components in a dense integrated circuit had doubled every year approximately, and he predicted that this would continue at the same rate for at least 10 more years (Moore, 1965). By 1975 Moore was the president of Intel, and revised his time intervals to approximately two years. This prediction became known as “Moore’s Law”, and has become an influential self-fulfilling prophecy, since, once posited, it created an evolving target for industry. As illustrated below in the graph on the right, in the five decades following Moore’s prediction, the number of transistors grew in the foretold linear trend. Moore’s Law was also discussed in “What is Digital Society” in period 1. The first decades of the 21st century marked the demise of personal computers and the rise of computer power integrated within cellular phones which transformed into much more than the modern version of telegrams and telephones. These technological developments, and most importantly the increase in affordable computer power, coupled with the popularization of the internet, are the driving force of what is sometimes called the Age of Information, characterized by a shift from industry-based to IT-based economy. Recent decades also marked the rise of new ‘ages’, namely the multimedia age (starting late 1980s), the Social age (starting mid-1990s) and the big data age (starting early this century). A thorough perspective on these trends was discussed in Assignment 3 in “What is Digital Society” last period. Reading: 1. Mueller (2003), Ch. 1. 2. Egenfeldt-Nielsen et al. (2013), Ch. 4 Recommended: Double, double, toil and trouble Discussion questions: 1. Looking at the timeline provided by Mueller, what were the five most important significant events in computer evolution? 2. Create a timeline depicting the major developments in a hardware component. in the last two decades, in one of the following hardware components: a. Memory availability and affordability b. Processor capacity and speed c. Display resolutions 3. Video gaming is a useful example for something that has developed as a result of these rapid developments in computers. Below are listed video games that were popularized in different times in the past five decades. In the tutorial, you will use development in gaming as a case study to mark critical development in computer technology that was at the disposal of the developers and gamers. 4. Some people see the changes and developments in games and gaming as an indication to changes in cultural norms and social values. What norms and values can games represent? NB: try to play (some of) these games before the tutorial, so that you have real experience with them. These are not the original releases, but rather games that are available freely (and legally) online. · Space invaders (1978, Atari) · Mario Bros. (1985, Nintendo) · Doom (1993, GT Interactive) · The Sims (2000, Electronic Arts) · Minecraft (2011, Sandbox) · Angry Birds (2015, Rovio Entertainment) Assignment 3: DIGITIZATION: FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't Digitization is the process by which any form of information – text, image, sound or (analog) signal – is organized into a set of basic units of information composed of binary digits, or bit''s in short, which can be processed by a computer. A series of eight bits is called a byte, and each binary transformation is a combination of bits clustered into bytes. Modern digital computers constitute a very large collection of electronic switches, which are used to represent and control the routing of data elements. To communicate with electronic hardware, one needs to send electrical signals. The easiest signals for computers to understand are those that indicate ‘on’ and ‘off’, and so the computer alphabet is just two letters. The two symbols for these two letters are the numbers 0 and 1, and we commonly think of the computer language as numbers in base 2, or binary numbers. Any information can be digitized, and numeric result of this digitization can be easily decrypted back, and much faster so by a computer. For instance, the string can be transformed into binary and coded as 01000110 01000001 01010011 01101111 01010011 (many online converters are available, a source table is available here). To understand the magnitude of these binary sequences: Microsoft Windows 10 requires in its 64-bit version some 209 bytes of Random-access memory (RAM), and 1610 bytes of free memory. Binary arithmetic is an essential part of all digital system. Although expressed in different base, arithmetic rules apply on binary numbers exactly in the same way that they apply on base-10 numbers. For instance, to add binary numbers, we line the two numbers up (one under the other), then, starting at the far right, add each column, recording the result and possible carry as we go, according to the following rules (see example next to these rules): All data can theoretically be digitized, but since the process involves significant costs, digitization of analog sources is prioritized based on the usefulness of the information to people, organizations or systems. Before we can attend to the technical process of transforming analog data into binary code, we first need to understand the system we are trying to digitize. Whether we try to digitize an organization that produces texts, a board of directors’ business decision-making process or student’s calculus decision on which pub to go to this weekend, before transforming the information to a language a computer can work with, it is important to understand the purpose of the system we would like to digitize. By understanding the ends the system is designed to serve, we can define its intermediate purposes systematically, and digitize the information efficiently. Thus, digitization is preceded by a full analysis of the system at hand. System analysis is the process of studying an activity, typically by abstract means, in order to define its goals and purposes and map out the operations and procedures required for accomplishing it most efficiently. A typical way to represent information about the required operations and procedures is by means of a (functional) flowchart. In a flowchart, we use different symbols and shapes to account for different processes we would like to digitize. A flowchart can be seen as a graphical representation of an ''algorithm. An example for a simple algorithm we may use in our daily lives is shown in the flowchart on the right. We can note that it includes oval, parallelogram and diamond-shaped boxes and some arrows connecting the different boxes. Reading: Introduction to C++ Programming'', Ch. 1'' Recommended (for assignments 3+4): Any beginner-level book for programming in BASIC/COBOL/Fortran/C/C++/ Pascal. Discussion questions: 1. This assignment starts with a quote about people and binary (There are only 10 types...’). Translate this text to binary and count how many times the number ‘1’ appears in the result. 2. What are the rules to subtract, multiply and divide binary numbers? 3. Translate each of the following to binary and calculate the result using the rules identified in the previous question: · 87 – 51 = ? · 13 × 4 = ? · 55 ÷ 11 = ? 4. What is an algorithm? 5. Create a functional flow-chart to help digitizing the decision on whether or not to take an umbrella when you leave home this morning. The decision rule is that you will take one if your weather app says there is more than 50% likelihood for rain, AND if you see clouds in the sky, but only if they are gray. In all other circumstances, the decision should be not to take an umbrella. Assignment 4: THE BASICS OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING “There are only two kinds of programming languages: those people always bitch about and those nobody uses” Bjarne Stroustrup, C++ Creator/Developer “Computer language design is just like a stroll in the park. Jurassic Park, that is” Larry Wall, Perl Creator/Developer After analog data has been digitized, i.e. coded into digital information, a process of adaptation begins: moving from an unstructured digital environment to a structured one, by building digital processes to optimize the use of the data. These processes are stored on computers in the form of programs, that can be executed whenever similar tasks become available. In practical terms, this is achieved by computer programming, which involves transforming abstract algorithms, functional flowcharts and codes obtained at the system-analysis stage into programs and applications that make use of these data to exploit digital opportunities and optimize results. In short, computer programming is the process that leads to developing an executable program to address a specific problem. This process is often referred to as coding rather than programming, but although these are used interchangeably, they mean, in fact, different things. A programming language is a formal language that specifies a set of instructions that can be used to produce various kinds of output. Just like there is more than one language we can use to communicate with other humans, there is more than one language to communicate with a computer, even for the same type of computer. Generally, the various languages are described as low-level or high-level, so that the more a computer language resembles ordinary, natural languages (such as Bahasa, English or Swahili), the higher its level. Lower-level languages are more difficult to work with, but they usually produce programs that are smaller and faster. The difference between languages of various levels is not only about how complex they are to read, but also about how fast they execute, how portable and transferable they are, how easy it is to debug them. A program can be a single file - a record of data or program code saved to a disk drive. But generally, complex software consists of one file that contains a master program - the kernel- surrounded by a collection of files that contain subprograms, or routines. The kernel calls the routines it needs to perform some task, such as display a dialog box or open a file. A routine can also call other routines. Together, the kernel and subprograms give programs a way to receive, or input, information from the keyboard, memory, ports, and files, rules for handling that input data, and a way to send, or output, information to the screen, memory, ports, and files. This program was written in BASIC. It asks the user to enter her name, and once the input is received greets the user by using this input. Reading: Kahanwal (2013) Recommended (for assignments 3+4): Any beginner-level book for liner/procedural programming BASIC / Pascal / C / C++ / COBOL / Python / Java / Perl / etc.) Discussion questions: 1. What is the difference between coding and programming? 2. Within the context of computer programming, what does it mean to write, run and debug? 3. What are low-, assembly- and high-level languages? Please provide examples for each. 4. What are the costs and benefits of using each of the three levels in programming? a. What are the differences between the three levels of computer programming in terms of their speed of execution, portability and the way they communicate with the computer’s microprocessor? 5. NB: You can use a Table similar to the one used in Assignment 1, where you specify each of these parameters for each of the levels (low, medium and assembly). ' ' 6. What do the following concepts mean? Use examples from any high-level programming languages to explain: a. Identifiers b. Variables and data types c. Operators d. If-else statements e. Loops (For, While) f. Functions g. Input and Output 7. Below, there is a small program written in C. Please go over the program and explain what it is meant to achieve. 8. What would be the output of this program if the user inputs the value “3285”? Assignment 5: DIGITAL IDENTITY AND DIGITAL RIGHTS “We know what we are, but know not what we may be” William Shakespeare By ‘Digital Identity’ we often mean information that when put together makes for a unique online or networked identity adopted or claimed in cyberspace by an individual, organization or electronic device. Users may project more than one digital identity in multiple contexts. Digital identity is based on mechanisms that offer the promise of greater efficiency, security, and trust in a wide variety of settings. Digital identity, in its simplest form, is often understood as a digital means of establishing we are who we say we are. There are at least three types of digital identity in use today: one that was issued by a formal identity provider, a de facto identity, and self-asserted and self-sovereign identity, which was discussed in “Making your Own Online Presence” (period 1). From the provision of financial services to government identification and anonymous data collection, digital identity can enable social transactions and strengthen the systems crucial for the functioning of society as a whole. Identity is vital for full participation in our modern digital society and economy, and for developing and maintaining digital identities requiring cooperation across sectors and industries, including companies, lawmakers, regulators, and civil society. Yet, designed and implemented unchecked, digital identity technologies could have unintended (or perhaps, carefully planned?) adverse consequences for the world’s most vulnerable populations. The right to privacy in international law is also given effect in specific privacy legislation such as the Data Protection Act in the United Kingdom and the Privacy Act in Australia. Concerns about citizens’ privacy lead the European Commission to legislate the General Data Protection Regulation, which took effect in May 2018. The main motivation behind the GDPR was to give EU residents control over their personal data and to unify all regulation within the EU, which will provide a set of unified guidelines to the international business community and facilitate its operations. The key areas of concern in the background of these regulations are the ones at the basis of this assignment, namely security and privacy, which you will also discuss in the ‘Surveillance Society’ course. Reading: McLaughlin, Briscoe & Malone (2010) The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679, Articles: 1'' Subject-matter'' and objectives, 4'' Definitions,'' 5'' Principles'' relating to processing of personal data, 7'' Conditions'' for consent, 13'' Information to be provided where personal'' data are collected from the data subject, 15'' Right of'' access by the data subject, 17'' Right to'' erasure (‘right to be forgotten’), 18'' Right to restriction'' of processing, 21'' Right to'' object, 32'' Security'' of processing Discussion questions: 1. What are the main principles set forth in the General Data Protection Regulation? What are personal data? What constitutes data processing? What are the main challenges these regulations were designed to address? 2. What mechanism to protect users’ privacy are taken by Google and Facebook? Were those changed in response to the GDPR? 3. What kind of information is part of our digital identity? What are attributes, preferences and traits? What is a digital footprint? 4. What are formal, de facto and self-asserted (self-sovereign) digital identities? Please identify at least one example for each. 5. What are the basic requirements and main vulnerabilities of digital identity-based systems? What are the dangers? How can we cultivate our digital identity in ways that are responsible and empowering? 6. Digital identity as human rights (or: who are the ‘invisible’ people?). What are the political and economic effects of having invisible people on society? Assignment 6: FROM DIGITAL SKILLS TO DIGITAL LITERACY “Most of us can use computers these days. We know how to send email, surf the web or write a letter in Word. But would you know what to do if all those pretty little icons in your browser disappeared and, instead of Windows, you were left staring at lines of letters and numbers of HTML …? If … you could see the code behind the graphics? If your answer is ‘no’, then you are in the majority – one of the many millions of peasants in the technological middle ages … The only way to escape is to be getting to grips with the machines, by learning their language. If you don’t get inside them, they will get inside you. Adapt or die.” '' Dylan Evans, Founder and CEO of Projection Point For many years, computers were largely the preserve of governments, large corporations such as banks, and scientists who needed to do complex calculations. By the 1980s, computers were getting smaller and people started having them at home – sometimes without their knowledge as they were embedded invisibly in other domestic technologies such as washing machines and video recorders. But increasingly it was voluntary, as people bought ‘home computers’ to play games, make music, and organize their household affairs. In those days, you really needed to know how a computer worked as often you had to put it together yourself before it would actually do anything. As computers became more widespread in other areas of life, teachers and education policy makers started to become concerned about the kinds of skills children and adults needed to be able to function in a world where computers are everywhere organizing how we communicate with each other and with machines, and how we find information and work in all sorts of settings. People concerned with education at all levels, from primary school to universities, are still talking about what kinds of skills people need to function in the contemporary digital world. This course and others you will follow later in the BA programme are designed to improve your own ability to function in a digital world. But what are digital skills and what does digital literacy actually mean? Jan van Dijk (''The Network Society, 2006, p.181) makes a simple three-way distinction between the following: 1. Operational skills – to operate the software and hardware 2. Information skills – to search, select and process information arising from online sources and environments 3. Strategic skills – to deploy the information to reach specific individual goals (at school or in work) Such a distinction helps us to understand potential differences and inequalities between individuals, groups and countries. But it was written in 2006, since when there have been further developments in the spread of computers and social media. Do we need to extend our ideas about digital literacy to include the emotional literacy of being present in different online environments, or the ability to evaluate the trustworthiness of different sources, or to understand how the internet is produced and regulated? In this final assignment, we want you to reflect on what digital skills you have and wish to develop, and on what digital literacy means for you. Reading: · Janssen, J., Stoyanov, S., Ferrari, A., Punie, Y., Pannekeet, K., & Sloep, P. (2013) · Microsoft https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/digitalliteracy/legacycourse · Find a recent policy document from your own country that addresses digital literacy, and identify how it defines digital literacy and skills. Preparation: Before coming to the tutorial, think about the discussion questions below (and make notes to help the discussion) and about the following: · What digital skills do you have? What skills would you like to develop? We will not discuss these in the tutorial, but you might wish to take them up with your mentor. Recall the reading and discussion in “What is (a) Digital Society?”, Assignment 3: · Koltay, T. (2011). The media and the literacies: Media literacy, information literacy, digital literacy. Media, Culture & Society, 33(2), 211-221. · Van Deursen, A. J., & Van Dijk, J. A. (2014). The digital divide shifts to differences in usage. New Media & Society, 16(3), 507-526. ' ' Discussion questions: · How do the different definitions of digital literacy and skills compare? What are the similarities and differences? · What does it mean to be digitally literate? Identify the range of skills and competences involved. · Who is responsible for developing such literacy? · So far, we have focused on the skills we (users, students) need to have to use and understand digital technologies. Can we also think of skills that ICT professionals need to develop in addition to their technical skills? = Literature = Double, double, toil and trouble. (2016, March 12). The Economist n/a. Retrieved from: Technology Quarterly. Evans, D. (6 November 2003). Smash the Windows, The Guardian, p.26. Egenfeldt-Nielsen, S., Smith, J. H., & Tosca, S. P. (2013). “History”. In Understanding video games: The essential introduction''. Routledge. Ch. 4 '' Englander, I. (2014). The architecture of computer hardware, system software, and networking . John Wiley & Sons. Grier, David Alan. The computer: From John von Neumann to Irma S. Rombauer. IEEE Annals of the History of Computing 25.4 (2003): 104-03. Institute of Distance & Open Learning (2008). Introduction to C++. University of Mumbai Press Janssen, J., Stoyanov, S., Ferrari, A., Punie, Y., Pannekeet, K., & Sloep, P. (2013). Experts’ views on digital competence: Commonalities and differences, Computers & Education 68, 473-481. Kahanwal, D. (2013). Abstraction level taxonomy of programming language frameworks. International Journal of Programming Languages and Applications'' 3: 4'' McLaughlin, M., Briscoe, G., & Malone, P. (2010). Digital Identity in The Absence of Authorities: A New Socio-Technical Approach. arXiv preprint arXiv:1011.0192. Microsoft https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/digitalliteracy/legacycourse Mueller, S. (2003). Upgrading and repairing PCs. Que Publishing. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679 Turing, A. M. (1950). Computing Machinery and Intelligence, Mind 236: 433–460. https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/LIX.236.433 Van Dijk, J. (2012). The network society. London: Sage Publications. White, R., & Downs, T. (2007). How computers work. Que Corp. Wikiversity: Hardware, Software, Computer Networks Ziewitz, M. (2017). A not quite random walk: Experimenting with the ethnomethods of the algorithm. Big Data & Society''. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053951717738105'' __FORCETOC__ __NONEWSECTIONLINK__